And now for something completely different:
Greg Braxton, in the LA Times, gives the 10-step formula to the hit TV police procedural:
3. The back-at-headquarters scene
The differences between the investigators must be quickly demonstrated — for instance, the veteran detective with the wife, kids and picket fence working with the rookie who launches into impressions of Popeye the Sailor Man when he makes a breakthrough. The captain must also give his or her team 24 hours to solve the case — in other words, 45 minutes in TV time minus commercials.
4. The eating scene
Early in the investigation, detectives must have some kind of food — preferably a hot dog from a park vendor or something else suitably nonnutritious (save those soy lattes for HBO!) that can be consumed on the run while discussing the case. But not all routine daily functions should be depicted. If a detective says, “Excuse me, I have to hit the head,” he should not be referring to using the restroom.
Lee Goldberg helps out with a few additional points:
1 ) the hero’s obligatory dead wife (an updating of what was “the obligatory estranged wife”).
2) the hero’s or co-star’s struggle with an addiction (gambling, alcoholism, etc.)
3) one lead character eats healthy, the other loves junk food.
4) the irascible boss.